


Beginnings and Birthrights

by di93



Series: Inquisitorial Enigma [13]
Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age - All Media Types, Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: Dorian likes making Adaar blush, Fluff, M/M, snippet of Adaar's origin story
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-14
Updated: 2017-03-14
Packaged: 2018-10-05 07:53:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,873
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10301597
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/di93/pseuds/di93
Summary: Dorian and Kaaras have fallen into a routine, and the Tevinter slowly unravels a bit more of the mystery surrounding the Inquisitor. Namely, he demands a story, and Kaaras tells him about how he joined the Valo-Kas.





	

Kaaras was hurrying up to the tower after finally being finished with meetings for the day in order to meet Dorian, as had become his routine since Crestwood. He would go about his daily business, gather up all of the reports he still had to read through, meet Dorian, eat a late dinner together down in the kitchens and then head into the dusty well-hidden library so that Dorian could help him read the reports away from anyone who might overhear. Of course, it did nothing to combat the rumors that he and Dorian were “intimate,” but Kaaras didn’t care at all and Dorian didn’t seem to mind. However, as Kaaras was about to head into the main hall from Josephine’s office, Leliana called out to him. 

“Inquisitor, if you have another moment, there’s a matter I’d like to discuss with you,” she called, and he nodded, stepping back into the office. 

“Earlier, one of our soldiers spotted Dorian in a... ‘heated debate’ with a man outside Skyhold,” she started, watching his face for any indication that he knew what was going on already, but having found none, she continued. “I had the matter investigated since I was concerned that it might have some connection to the Venatori,” she said, noting the faint downward twitch of the man’s lips at the assumption. “But that doesn’t seem to be the case. The man is a merchant from Val Royaux, Ponchard de Lieux, and he possess an amulet which Dorian was attempting to purchase. I ended my investigation there, since it seemed to be a personal matter, so I am unsure why they argued, but I thought that you might wish to know,” she finished, handing him a note with what she had said in her elegant script, and he put it at the bottom of his stack and nodded his thanks before heading to the tower. 

“Fancy meeting you here,” Dorian said, looking up at Kaaras with a smirk when he noticed a great shadow be cast over him. 

“Hungry?” 

“Famished. Honestly, you can’t make those war table meetings go any faster? I understand that you’ve got to save the world and all that, but surely Corypheus has to take a break to eat once in a while as well?” 

“Maybe that’s my winning strategy: save the world while he’s busy feasting on lyrium or whatever darkspawn magisters eat,” Kaaras replied as he waited for Dorian to organize his research to resume later. 

“Well if this strategy also involves me reanimating your corpse once you’ve worked yourself to death, I’ll be sorely disappointed.” 

“I thought you’d be intrigued. How would a corpse with an Anchor react to your reanimation spells?” 

“That would be a fascinating subject to research, I’m certain, but unfortunately it would also involve either your death or somehow creating another Breach to give someone else an Anchor, and I’m not particularly keen on either of those ideas.” 

“Good to know my life is more valuable than your necromancy research.” 

“Yes, well, perhaps if you were less muscular or less charming, it would be a different story,” he replied and Kaaras felt his neck burning at the compliment as they walked down to the kitchens. 

“I don’t think I’ve ever been described as ‘charming’ before. Muscular, regularly, but not charming.” 

“I’m not surprised. When we first met you had about as much charm as a rock. Perhaps I’ve just rubbed off on you. You should consider yourself lucky.” 

“I do,” Kaaras replied without any hesitation, and Dorian almost choked on a laugh. 

“Truly? The man that the Fade spat out, that was declared a heretic, and that has an entire cult headed by an ancient darkspawn magister considers himself lucky?” 

“Could be worse,” he replied with a shrug. 

“An optimist! How rare. I’d be careful saying that too loud, if I were you. The Maker seems to like irony, if nothing else.” 

“If that was the Chantry's headline, maybe I'd be a believer.” 

“You don’t believe in the Maker?” Dorian inquired, as they walked into the empty kitchen, and Kaaras shrugged again. 

“If there is a Maker, I’ve put about as much thought into his existence as he put into mine. At least, until recently. I gather that you do, though?” 

“Not in the Chantry, but yes, I do believe in the Maker,” Dorian agreed as Kaaras set the reports down at the edge of the table and set about gathering whatever leftovers were around. “And in you. Whether the Maker sent you through Andraste or fate, Cassandra is not wrong. You are what we needed most at the moment we needed it. That’s what they’ll say in the ages to come,” he said, and Kaaras gave a noncommittal hum as he set a plate on the table in front of Dorian and began collecting another plate for himself. 

“I don’t know.” 

“Doubt is good. I like doubt. It will keep you sane,” Dorian replied, and Kaaras huffed a laugh. “Me, I’ve seen too much to believe I know everything. The world is bigger than I, even bigger than you. It laughs at all the things we think we know. The Maker doesn’t need me to believe, but I do. The thought of no one at all watching out for us is too frightening.” 

“Having everyone looking at me like they think I’m the one watching out for them, like I can speak for a god that I’m not even sure I believe exists, is also frightening.” 

“I’m sure it is. I certainly don’t envy your position, but I’d say you’re doing a rather remarkable job in any case,” he replied, and Kaaras felt the back of his neck warm with the reassurance. “Of course, you must stay alive long enough to finish the job, so come along. Sit and eat and forget about the fate of the world for a moment.” 

“Easier said than done.” 

“Well, I do have a few ways to distract you, although not all of them are suitable for a dinner table,” Dorian replied with a suggestive smirk before biting into an apple, and Kaaras felt the tips of his flush spread to the tops of his ears. Absently, he wondered if he would ever get used to Dorian’s flirting. He hoped not. 

“And the ones that are?” 

“They’re not nearly as fun, but I suppose we can save the others for another time. How about you tell me more about the Valo-Kas? I’m certain you’ve some interesting tales.” 

“Varric is a better storyteller than I am.” 

“Perhaps, but he makes half of them up and isn’t quite so nice to look at, so come on then. Awe me with your heroics.” 

Kaaras swirled the boiled vegetables around on his plate quietly for a moment as he considered what he could tell, what Dorian would be interested in hearing. After a while, he decided to start at the beginning.  

“It’s not exactly a heroic tale, but I could tell you about how I ended up with them.” 

“You weren’t simply hired?” 

“Not exactly.” 

“Well now I’m curious. Let’s hear it.” 

“A couple of years after the First Battle of Kirkwall, after rumors of what had happened had spread just about everywhere, people in the Free Marches were… wary of Qunari, followers of the Qun or otherwise. Even more than usual, that is, and large groups of Qunari were even more frightening to people. 

“The merc band I wandered with before the Valo-Kas was run out of Wycome by a mob, so we were camping by one of the rivers outside of the city and planned to head to Ansburg, hoping we’d have more luck at getting a job there. Instead, we were ambushed by Ben-Haasrath who were looking for me. I was careless, figuring that since it had been a couple years since they’d bothered with me, that I was safe. Because we were camped so close to the river, we didn’t hear them coming until they were already on us. Luckily, we knew the area better than they did, so our group managed to get away mostly unscathed, but I ran, not wanting them to get caught up in any more trouble because of me. 

“I avoided people as much as I could for the next year or so and just camped out in the Vimark Mountains, somewhat near Markam, staying to myself other than the occasional run-in with bandits or slavers. Then, one time I had a saw slavers who had some poor Dalish kids and an old man locked in cages. They were half-starved and blindfolded, so once I killed the slavers, I settled them in the camp I was keeping and fed them and tried to figure out how to get them back to their clan. 

“They weren’t particularly forthcoming with their clan’s moving habits, though—unsurprising, but also not helpful when I was trying to get them back to their families. Eventually they agreed to at least let me escort them down to Ostwick, and they would take care of it from there themselves. I led them there and dropped them off with no problem, but as I was leaving the city to head back into the mountains, I was ambushed by some more slavers from the same group of those I’d killed.  

“They knocked me out, but instead of killing me, they decided to make me into their slave shipment. Apparently one Qunari mage wasn’t as good as five Dalish elves for the guy who was paying them, though, so they had the bright idea to try to use me as bait for the mercenary band that was working a job for some noble in the city, thinking that I was part of their group and that they would come get me. 

“For whatever reason, Shokrakar decided to come for me even though she didn’t know me, and after they busted me out and saw how I fought in spite of being banged up, shackled and drugged, she wanted me to join. I owed her for saving me, so I agreed, even though she said that she just did it because the other guys were getting bored. 

“So that’s how I joined the Valo-Kas,” Kaaras finished with a shrug, and Dorian didn’t know if he should laugh or roll his eyes. 

“You know, if you just throw a little more blood, explosions and terrible romance, then that could be Varric’s next best-seller.” 

“You think? It wasn’t that exciting at the time. Just a lot of hunting and camping and hoping that I wouldn’t run into too many easily-frightened humans or eat the wrong-colored berries.” 

“And just occasionally saving some ill-fated elves and killing the scum of society.” 

“It’s not like I ran into slavers that often.” 

“Oh? And how many times did you kill slavers during your year of solitude?” Dorian asked, and Kaaras chewed his food thoughtfully for a moment as he tried to recall how many times it had been. 

“Well there were those elves, and the orphaned farm kids, the apostates… the couple from the alienage… Maybe five or six times?” 

“My dear Inquisitor, I do believe that by any account, that year of supposed solitude was actually a year of do-gooder vigilantism.” 

“I guess. It wasn’t like I was going out hunting for them or anything, though. They just happened to take the wrong path through the mountains at the wrong time. Although I had planned to go back and find who was running that whole slave trade after I was done with the escort job to the Conclave. Obviously, that didn’t quite work out, but I did ask Leliana to let me know if she hears of anything.” 

“I must say, Andraste certainly did an excellent job of picking her Herald,” Dorian replied as he rested his chin on the heel of his hand, admiring the faint blush that he could see creeping up the man’s ears. Honestly, the man’s life story _prior_ to becoming the Herald of Andraste and only hope for Thedas was both admirable and inspirational, and yet there he sat, blushing under the lightest of praise. “You know, if you retell that story to Varric later, and he does put it into a novel, then you could demand some of the royalties! It would sell like mad.” 

“Oh, no. If Josephine or Leliana find out, they’ll force him to write it and publish it as a propaganda campaign,” Kaaras groaned and Dorian scoffed. 

“Surely that wouldn’t be such a bad thing! You’d be praised the world over. Imagine all the drinks people would buy you for just gracing their establishments with your presence,” Dorian marveled, and Kaaras chuckled even as he shook his head. 

“After a lifetime of striving for anonymity, I don’t think I would be able to handle all of Thedas knowing who I am.” 

“Poor man, I’m afraid that your ability to blend in with the crowds—as much as a Qunari can blend in, anyway—is gone for good. Such is the life of the Inquisitor.” 

“You’re probably right.” 

“I always am. Now, we should head into the library so that you can work your way through those reports before I keep you up all night entertaining me with tales of your heroic deeds,” Dorian said, and Kaaras agreed, so they piled there dishes with the others that would be washed in the morning and headed into the long-forgotten library.  

Kaaras sat at the table, reading reports aloud as Dorian listened on and continued his nightly work of cataloguing all of the shockingly well-preserved tomes that lined the walls. Once he finished reading each report, he either stacked it in the completed pile or the pile for reports to assign to his advisors the next day. If he trusted himself to be able to write properly, he would have added a memo at the bottom of each with his decisions, but he knew that he didn’t have the skill to do so when he was still tripping up on simply reading nearly every other word. However, where before he would have struggled on his own for half the night to make it through just a few reports until he was forced to give up and ask his advisors to summarize their reports aloud for him the next day, he was now able to make it through the entire stack. 

So this night, once he’d gotten to the bottom of the pile and found the memo from Leliana that he’d forgotten about, he turned to Dorian. 

“So, I heard something about an amulet?” 

“How did you hear that?” Dorian startled, turning to face Kaaras before the realization dawned on him. “Oh… Leliana. Of course she would find out. Don’t make an issue of it. I don’t want someone solving my personal problems for me. I’ll get the amulet back… Somehow. On my own,” he said, and Kaaras frowned. 

“What is it, exactly?” 

“The Pavus birthright. The flashy thing you show peons to make them tremble at your impressive lineage. I didn’t leave Tevinter with much in the way of coin, so I sold it. Entirely forbidden, of course, and foolish, but I was desperate. I’ll figure something out,” he replied, and Kaaras shrugged. 

“We’ll think of something.” 

“ _I_ will. I’ll get it back. I lost the amulet. I may not have your resources, but I can’t ask you to—you have too many people asking you for everything under the sun. I won’t be one of them,” Dorian said, and Kaaras frowned again. Of all the things he needed to do, this was one thing that he _wanted_ to do. Dorian was the first friend he’d had since… in a long time, and he cared about the man. He was even spending his evenings helping Kaaras with work when he could have been enjoying himself doing absolutely anything else. So if an amulet was important to Dorian for whatever reason and it was within the Inquisitor’s power to help, then Kaaras was absolutely going to do it. So, Kaaras took Leliana’s note and slipped it into one of his own pockets to deal with personally before standing up. 

“You know, I wouldn’t mind helping you out.” 

“Yes, I’m sure. You are Ser Helpful who slays rams in the middle of the night in order to feed his armies,” Dorian said with a roll of his eyes as he slid a book back onto the shelf. 

“No, I mean—well, that did happen, but I mean that if there was something I could do for you, specifically, I would like to.” 

“Oh? Well then, how about we stop talking about this and do something more enjoyable instead?” Dorian suggested as he turned back to Kaaras with a smirk, and Kaaras felt his neck warming again. 

“Have something in mind?” 

“Well,” Dorian started as he took a step closer to Kaaras, leaving scant inches between them. “I believe it has been far too long since I’ve been kissed, and it seems that you’re the only one around to fix this issue,” he said, and Kaaras huffed a quiet laugh. 

“May I kiss you, then?” 

“If you’re so inclined.” 

“Happy to help.” 


End file.
